Scraping tool



N. N. OKUN SCRAPING TOOL May 26, 1936.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 13, 1933 :3 BY r M ATTORNEY N u K O N N SCRAPING TOOL 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Dec. 13, 1933 R O T N E V m Patented May 26, 1936 SCRAPING TOOL Nathaniel N. Okun, New York, N. Y., assignor to Atlas. Floor Surfacing Machinery Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 13, 1933, Serial No. 702,119

4 Claims.

This invention relates to scraping tools and is herein illustrated as embodied in a hand tool especially adapted to be used for scraping floors. Such tools are generally held with both hands to enable the tiring and arduous labor to be performed with maximum efficiency and ease. The simpler tools hitherto used required that the man using the tool hold one hand upon the other. More elaborate tools included a long arm to be grasped by one hand of the man to pull the tool and a knob near the other hand by which he held the scraper against the floor. This compelled the man to swing one arm widely while the other arm moved along the floor.

According to the present invention herein shown the tool includes a handle projecting rearwardly much as a trowel handle projects, though usually the handle is bent to lieagainst the turned back palm of the hand where it opposes the little finger in grasping the handle, and the tool also includes a second or transverse handle or comfortable grip for the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, both handles being relatively close to the scraping edge. When the thumb and forefinger grasp the second handle the palm of that hand lies comfortably upon the upper surface of the tool, and the little finger may be only about two inches fromthe edge of the tool, so that the desired pressure is obtained throughone hand while the other hand closely and naturally cooperates with the first hand in pressing the tool downwardly. Thus both hands may pull the tool and press it at the same time. It has been found possible .to so design the transverse handle that the tool is equally convenient for right handed men and left handed men. 7

It is found possible to make a tool of this kind, of suitable light weight and agreeable balance, out of cast aluminum. To this end the rearwardly projecting handle is shown as hollow and slightly curved, while the pressure exerting handle or grip is formed; as a boss nearer the cutting edge. Part of the rest of the structure may be hollow, thus lightening it and giving it the desired balance. As a result the tool includes all the advantages of a light wooden handle, and, in the form shown, is'made out of a few easily cast pieces, not likely to split like a wood handle, and of a form more convenient for the user than any wooden handle hitherto built.

Since the tool handle is of metal, it is easily threaded to firmly hold a clamp, thus making it possible to remove the cutting edge and sharpen it or replace it with anotheredge, as frequently as,

desired, with substantially no wear on the threads.

The clamp may be held by a fastening device or bolt or set-screw lying in a sunken pocket, thus eliminating sharp corners. The cast parts need little machine work before assembling and are easily polished to provide the smooth surface desired for grips and handles.

A wrench for turning the bolt of the clamping device may include a device for sharpening the edge of the scraper.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is a side view of a modification.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of part of the lower clamp of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a top View of a wrench including a sharpening device.

Figure '7 is a side View of the wrench.

Figure 8 shows how the wrench is held. for sharpening.

Figure 9 shows the first step in sharpening.

Figure 10 shows the last step in sharpening.

The relatively elongated handle l0 comprises an externally curved and smooth surface I I. Integrally depending from the free end or termi-' nal of handle II] is a lip portion l3 having a' curved surface I2 merging with the lower arcuate externally curved surfaceof the body of handle I0. Lip portion i3 is provided with a free curved surface [4 which merges with the downwardly curved surface l2 and the upwardly disposed curved surface of the lip portion, the handle In being so shaped that the operatorfs hand may conveniently grip the body of the handle and in such relation that the little finger of the hand grasping the handle is disposed against the curved surface l2.

The handle Ill midway of its length is a slightly flattened oval so that the long flattened top l5, curving a. little upwardly in each direction, gives a broad comfortable seat for the palm of the hand. A width of one and a quarter inches at the top of the bend l2, narrowing to about an inch and an eighth at I6 where the thumb and finger encircle it has been found satisfactory.

The front end of the handle turns up slightly at I 6 and continues on for nearly an inch and then turns up and sharply back at I! to form a neck l8 about an inch long and ending in a boss I 3 about seven-eighths of an inch wide and about one and one-half inches long. The neck 'posite laterally extending ledge 2|.

I8 slopes in from top and bottom until it is about half an inch thick and is narrowed on each side until its width is a little over an inch.

It is found that a workmans thumb fits naturally under the neck l8 and his forefinger naturally lies above the neck 18 and the free end of his two thumbs lie against each other and, on the fiat front surface 23 of the tool, lies the fiat palm of the hand with the thumb under the neck 18.

In the form shown, the handle 18 integrally merges into the tool body 22, under the ledges 2 l. The ledges extend laterally, and, with the rest of the body 22, form a lower inclined complementary clamping jaw having a straight front edge 24 and a fiat upper face 25.

The lower forward portion of the lower jaw is provided with a relatively shallow channel or recess 26 in which a complementary clamping plate 51 is appropriately mounted.

Plate 5| of the lowerjaw supports a blade 21 having a relatively wide and exposed scraping edge 50.

An upper complementary clamping jaw 28 is provided with a similar clamping plate 5| and cooperates with the companion clamping plate of the lower jaw to hold the blade in the required adjusted position.

The upper jaw 28 is a one piece member having a depending flange lip 30 coextensive the width thereof; lip 30 having a relatively flat lower face adapted to seat on the flat upper face 25 of the lower jaw.

The blade is properly clamped between the jaws by the adjustable bolt 3| having its shank portion disposed in alined openings of the complementary jaws, the opening of the lower jaw having threads appropriately coacting with the threads of the shank which is of such length as to be adjustably received into the body of handle [0 as is well understood.

To provide a good bearing surface for the'head 32 of the bolt 3| there is provided a large hard iron washer 33 lying in a countersunk opening 34 in the top of the upper jaw 28, so that the head 32 will not cut the softer aluminum.

Beyond the bolt 3|, the upper jaw 28 is rounded off at 35 so that it lies under an overhanging shoulder 36 which projects forwardly and downwardly from the neck l8 and forms a surface comfortable to rest the hand upon.

The jaws are preferably about 2 /4 inches wide for a 2 /2 inch cutting blade and narrow back from near the front edge of the washer 33 into the neck 18 along a line fitting the human hand.

To decrease the weight of the upper jaw Without reducing its efliciency it'is provided with a pair of spaced longitudinally arranged and internally disposed tapering recesses 31, hence forming the intervening rib 31 the lower forward marginal portion of the upper jaw providing an internally disposed smooth but interrupted face for clamping blade '21 against the lower complementary jaw.

To further add to the pleasing and restful balance of the tool, the major portion of the handle If desired, the outer surfaces of the scraping device may be provided with a relatively rough exterior surface to facilitate grasping thereof.

It is found that the head 32 of the bolt 3| fits in a hollow of the palm grasping the tool. If desired an alternative form of bolt may be substituted having a flush or sunken head.

According tothe form illustrated in Fig. 1, the upper rectilinear portion of the blade 21 is inserted between complementary plates 5| carried by the jaws'and subsequently clamped thereby. If desired, these plates may be eliminated. The lower exposed portion of the blade has its cutting or scraping edge 50 burnished in any well known fashion.

.A modified structure embodying such a feature and other modifications is shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5. In the modified structure shown, the body or lower jaw 22 is provided with a pair of upstanding lugs 40 rising out of a central transverse hollow or groove 4|. In this modified structure the upper jaw 28 is shown as having downwardly projecting outer or wall lugs 42 and a central downwardly projecting lug 43. The lugs 40, 42, and 43 are drilled and form journals for a pin 44 so that the front 45 of the jaw 28 is caused to grip the cutting blade by turning a thrust bolt 46 threaded, like the bolt 3|, into the body 22. The thrust bolt 46, however, lies with its arcuate head against the wall of the concavity 31 of the upper jaw, but can be turned by a wrench 41, shown as having a hexagonal head 48 adapted to pass through an opening 49 in the jaw 28. The head of the wrench fits a corresponding opening in the head of the bolt 46. As the wrench turns the thrust bolt 46 to rise out of its socket, the bolt 46 thrusts up or raises the upper portion of the jaw 28 and causes its front edge to grip the cutting edge 21, that is to say; assuming the lower portions of the contiguous jaws are spaced apart and a blade is inserted therebetween and it is desired to appropriately clamp the blade, hence the wrench is utilized to rotate bolt 46 such that it will be progressively raised out of the lower jaw.

In rising, the enlarged curved head of the bolt coacts with the sides of concavity 31, causing the upper portion of the upper jaw to travel away from the lower jaw, while the lower portion of the upper jaw may be tilted or pivoted on the fulcrum pin 44 towards the lower jaw. The formof the 5 1 device shown in Figure 1 is provided with harder jaw plates 5| at the ends of the jaws, which may grip the cutting and scraping blade 21 firmly and not be easily damaged.

As illustrated the exposed end of the blade is 551'.

clamping jaws between which a blade having a cutting and/or scraping edge is disconnectably secured, one of the jaws being a one piece member or complement having bifurcated arms, such as, I 8 and H), the former terminating in a free knob shaped enlargement 19 while the latter constitutes a hollow handle terminating in the free curved lip I3, the bifurcated arms being integrally connected and forming means conveniently grasped by the hands of the operator during the manipulation of scraping device 'or tool as is well understood.

In the form shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the handle I0 forms an angle of about with the jaws, and the tip 14 cooperates with the end of 75.

the cutting edge to guard the fingers of the workman during scraping a floor.

The wrench shown in Figure 3 is especially well adapted to serve as a sharpening device when provided with the form of end 52, shown in Figures 6 to 10. This end is intended to be grasped when the bent over hexagonal head 48 is used to turn the bolt 35.

To sharpen the edge 50, or the edge 53 of a straight cabinet hook blade 54, the wrench 41 may be grasped so that the thumb and finger grasp it near the end 52 while the bent over hexagonal head 48 catches behind the little finger, the adjacent part 55 of the shank lying in the bent joint 56 of the little finger of the right hand. In this position the rounded surface 51 of the hardened shank is well adapted to burnish down the flat end 58 of the blade 54, as shown in Figure 9, and gradually turn over a razor edge or fin 59 which forms the actual cutting edge. Usually the surface 51 of the shank is first rubbed nearly parallel to the fiat end 58 and then at more of an angle to it, as the fin 59 is turned down or developed.

When the fin is sufliciently feathered the workman shifts the wrench so that its hardened almost straight, but slightly rounded and almost sharp end 69 catches under the fin 59. Then the workman slides the wrench end 65 back and forth transversely of the blade 54 rubbing and pushing against the fin 59 so as to turn it out to the desired angle or edge.

Having thus described certain embodiments of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a scraping device, the combination of, a stationary jaw having an integrally connected bifurcated portion defining diverging arms, one

arm having an intermediate restricted portionterminating in an externally curved enlargement, another arm of said bifurcated portion extending rearwardly to serve as a handle adapted tobe grasped by one hand of the operator and including an arcuate depending terminal lip, said bifurcated portion having a forwardly disposed overhanging portion defining a transversely disposed channel, adjustable means carried by said stationary jaw and a jaw tiltably mounted on the latter cooperating therewith to disconnectably hold a blade interposed therebetween, said adjustable means being independent of said tiltable jaw and cooperating with one end thereof to adjustably set said tiltable jaw against said blade.

2. In a scraping device, the combination of, a jaw having an integrally connected bifurcated portion defining diverging arms, one arm having an intermediate restricted portion terminating in an externally curved enlargement, another arm of said bifurcated portion extending rearwardly to serve as a handle adapted to be grasped by one hand of the operator and including an arcuate depending terminal lip, said bifurcated portion having an integrally connected forwardly disposed overhanging portion defining a transversely arranged channel, adjustable means carried by said jaw, and a tiltable jaw mounted on the latter comprising one end disposed in said channel and having a concavity facing downwardly, said adjustable means being independent of said tiltable jaw and cooperating with said concavity to adjustably hold a blade interposed between said jaws.

3. In a scraping device, the combination of, a jaw having an integrally connected bifurcated portion defining relatively wide diverging arms, one arm having an intermediate externally curved reduced intermediate portion terminating in an externally curved enlargement, another arm of said bifurcation extending rearwardly to serve as a handle adapted to be grasped by one hand of the operator and including an arcuate depending lip, said bifurcated portion having an integrally connected forwardly disposed overhanging portion defining with the body of said jaw a transverse channel, adjustable means connected to said body and having an arcuate head projecting into said channel and a tiltable jaw mounted on said first mentioned jaw and comprising a concavity cooperating with said head for actuating said tiltable jaw relative to said, first mentioned jaw to adjustably and removably hold a blade interposed between said jaws.

4. In a scraping device, the combination of, a jaw having an integrally connected bifurcated portion defining relatively wide diverging arms, one arm having an intermediate externally curved reduced portion terminating in an externally curved transversely disposed enlargement, another arm of said bifurcation extending rearwardly to serve as a handle adapted to be grasped by one hand of the operator and including an arcuate depending lip, said bifurcated portion having a forwardly and transversely disposed overhanging shoulder defining with the body of said jaw a transverse channel, adjustable means connected to said body and having an arcuate head projecting into said channel and a' tiltable jaw pivotally connected to said first mentioned jaw and having an upper portion arranged adjacent said shoulder and disposed in said channel, said upper portion having a concavity cooperating with said arcuate head upon the manipulation of the latter to actuate said tiltable jaw to adjustably and removably sustain a blade member interposed between said jaws.

NATHANIEL N. OKUN. 

